I have a user that needs to give a presentation at a customer site (New York City) from our laptop. They will not provide any kind of Internet, so we must bring our own. Is there something like mifi she could rent? She has an Iphone with AT&T and I don't know what tethering options are possible, but we probably don't want to mess with jailbreaking, etc.

You could call 611 from the iPhone and ask AT&T what the deal is with tethering for that plan. If you need it, you can add it, and then a few days later phone and say you don't want it anymore -- you are prorated for the days you used it, and it's practically like "renting" the tethering option.

You'll need to install iTunes on whatever computer you're connecting it to, or if you have the iPhone 4 with the latest OS you can set up a Personal Hotspot (something you may have to have activated by AT&T as well... ask them) and just join the WiFi network the iPhone creates.

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You could call 611 from the iPhone and ask AT&T what the deal is with tethering for that plan. If you need it, you can add it, and then a few days later phone and say you don't want it anymore -- you are prorated for the days you used it, and it's practically like "renting" the tethering option.

You'll need to install iTunes on whatever computer you're connecting it to, or if you have the iPhone 4 with the latest OS you can set up a Personal Hotspot (something you may have to have activated by AT&T as well... ask them) and just join the WiFi network the iPhone creates.

AT&T has tethering feature for $15 a month. If the users iPhone has the latest iOS, they can create a wifi hotspot with their iPhone for the laptop to connect to. the only issue I could see is, where in NY is the presentation? There are lots of areas in NY where AT&T data is really bad. Another option that we use at our company is to get a Verizon Aircard that get signed out for by anyone who needs to use it. As long as each computer that uses it has the correct drivers and VZ Access Manager installed, it works like a charm. Verizon now also sells the 4G USB Aircards and they really scream in a 4G network.

just remember, if you add the tethering option and are grandfathered in with the unlimited data plan which they don't offer anymore, at&t will move you to the 2gb data plan to enable tethering, and you won't be able to switch back to unlimited, so just be aware of that if it applies. We could use the tethering option, but giving up the unlimited we're grandfathered into currently is just not an option.

Wow you guys really do get hosed down there in the states. I thought it was pretty much unlimited everything on some plans for less than $100/mo??

In Canada, I pay $110/mo for 400min and unlimited Incoming, plus the iPhone visual voicemail, call waiting etc package that is mandatory for the iPhone, plus a 6GB plan (they don't offer 6GB anymore but 5GB they do for the same price). Tethering is free, so is the hotspot feature. I remember when Tethering came out there was some kind of website you could just install the correct profile on your phone to enable it - does that not work for AT&T??